


Slow

by aqua_relle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Akaashi Keiji-centric, Crushes, Kissing, M/M, Pre-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:48:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25687573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aqua_relle/pseuds/aqua_relle
Summary: Akaashi never meant for his world to spiral out of control so fast, but when you've been in love with your best friend for so long and he finds out in a humiliatingly unplanned way, what else can you do?
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29
Collections: BokuAka Week





	Slow

Akaashi Keiji was running _fast_. Even after years of playing volleyball and just being a natural athlete, this is the fastest and hardest he’s ever run in his life. His lungs were burning and he could feel his legs getting more and more sore as he didn’t have time to stretch after practice before escaping the humiliating situation.

The humiliating situation that made the entire Fukurodani academy VBC aware of his crush on their captain and ace, Bokuto Koutaro, including the man himself.

This reaction was out of character for him, Akaashi realized. Yet, he’s never had to deal with this situation before, so how was he supposed to know how he was supposed to react if their mutual friend and teammate was overheard by the others. Akaashi knew Konoha only wanted to check up on him, which makes sense considering how worn out he looked after a full year of hiding the strong feelings he had for his best friend whom he saw practically every day. He just didn’t consider that they weren’t the only ones putting things away in the storage room.

“You should seriously think of confessing to Bokuto, you’re already stressed enough as it is,” he had said rather matter-of-factly, not noticing their teammates and Bokuto-san waiting by the door, frozen in shock.

Akaashi had been thinking of it of course; when you have been crushing on someone for such a long time, you begin playing the scenarios out in your head. He’d done that too many times to count, some ending with pure bliss and soft kisses, while in others the ace ignored him for the rest of his time in high school. He knew that the latter was extremely unlikely, after all, Bokuto-san was too kind for that and the most likely outcome would be something in the middle. However it was still a possibility, no matter the actual probability of it really happening and that sent Akaashi’s self-deprecating thoughts to spiral in fear and self-pity.

When you have liked someone for that long, you suddenly become aware of every little hair out-of-place, every crinkle in the corner of their eye as they laugh, every exclamation as much as every quiet whisper. Perceptive as he is, Akaashi had a heightened sense of this, but all that is perceived as a flaw in Bokuto by others, all that had driven others away from him in middle school, was beautiful to Akaashi.

Beautiful and overwhelming, so overwhelming that the younger boy was surprised that he only lasted exactly 6 months without telling anybody since he was usually pretty good at keeping things to himself. Eventually though, in a fit of panic after Bokuto had gotten sick and didn’t show up to practice, his worry consuming him like a fire, he had told Konoha-senpai who had asked if anything was bothering him when they were the only two left in the locker room.

And now he was running. _Fast_.

What else was he supposed to do?

When you have liked your best friend for that long and they find out in a most unconventional way, in one shot, that you were also queer - Bokuto had told him about his bisexuality a few months ago, Akaashi not having the courage the confess he was gay at the time - and that you liked THEM, what else can you do, but grab your bag and run, escape before the awful fictional scenario you created turned into an accurate prediction.

Eventually, he slowed down, unsure how much more his body could take. He spotted a bench and practically threw himself on it by the way he slumped.

“Fuck,” he whispered as he looked around, realizing he had run all the way to the park near his house, where he sometimes came to read or eat lunch on the weekend.

Yet somewhere else where he’d thought of holding Bokuto-san’s hand.

Somewhere else he’d wanted to mess up his gelled hair.

Somewhere else he’d wanted to kiss him.

When you have been in love with your best friend for that long, you think about them anywhere, everywhere. Akaashi had gotten used to chasing those thoughts away when he knew he needed to focus on school work or he just needed a break of the intense rush they gave him. He gave up trying to chase them now though, as he finally buried his face in his hands and suddenly he couldn’t pretend he was fine anymore, just letting the tears fall. And they were falling _fast_ and without a sound.

He doesn’t know how much time had passed since he’d been sitting there contemplating his fate, but if he had to guess it was late. The sun had just finished setting when he ran out into the summer air and now it was dark which meant it was probably around 21:00. He almost reached for his phone, before deciding he didn’t want to deal with Konoha’s apology or Bokuto’s rejection right now.

When you have been in love with your best friend for that long, the last thing you want is to get rejected through text.

Akaashi sighed in disbelief. At least, he was five minutes away from home.

The walk was a little painful for his worn out legs, but he was relieved that he had successfully escaped. While it wasn’t a rational or level-headed decision to make - it wasn’t a very Akaashi decision to make in the first place - he was glad he had been so fast, because now he could walk leisurely, the brisk night air could dry his tears and calm him down before getting home. Though he knows the agonizing isn’t over and he still had more heartbreak to deal with, crying had felt good and brought him temporary peace. Calm before the storm that would meet him at school tomorrow.

Pulling his key out of his backpack, he finally reached the front gate of the town house, before he froze.

A familiar silhouette, that of a horned owl, stood in his entrance. It took a few moments for Akaashi to realize he wasn’t hallucinating, this wasn’t a scenario he had created, this was reality and Bokutou Koutaro was standing in front of him, the only separation between them being the wire gate.

He should be cursing Bokuto-san for being so impatient, but right now Akaashi couldn’t process anything other than his own heart beat, and boy was it beating _fast_. One as a reaction to seeing his crush, two in fear of the inevitable confrontation that he had wanted to put off, at least until tomorrow. He should be mad, he should tell Bokuto-san to leave.  
However, when you have been in love with your best friend for so long, you’re ready to forgive anything.

So there they stood, Akaashi inhaling a shaky breath before muttering,  
“What are you doing here, Bokuto-san?”

Bokuto looked at him, wide golden eyes glistening in the moonlight, breathing hard.

“I wanted to t-talk to you,” he finally stuttered out.

A pause.

Many would say Bokuto was incapable of silence. Yet, there he stood quiet as ever, wondering what to say next. Akaashi had seen him like this a few times before, more notably when he had disclosed his sexual orientation or before a game against a few of his former junior high teammates. Akaashi knew it wouldn’t last long though.

“I-I mean I need to talk to you,” he said exclaimed a little louder, breaking the awkward silence, “I thought you would have ran home, so I asked your mom if you were around and she said you were probably picking up some snacks at the convenience store a few blocks up, so I was about to head up there.”

“Right,” Akaashi said, mentally cursing the universe for the perfect timing.

Another pause.

Still looking into each others eyes, Akaashi finally worked up the courage to say:  
“I’m sorry for embarrassing you Bokuto-san.”

What else was he supposed to say after all?

Bokuto furrowed his brows. Akaashi took this as a sign to keep going.

“You don’t have to say anything, I’m fine with pretending this never happened.”

Everything was happening so fast.

“If you don’t want to be friends anymore, I understand.”

He would give up setting to him until well after practice was over, he would give up helping him study in the library, he would give up taking the train home with him, he would give up volleyball.

Because, when you have been in love with your best friend for so long, you would give up anything if it means they would be happy.

Suddenly, Bokuto’s hands cupped Akaashi’s face, wiping a tear that had started falling down.  
Akaashi didn’t know what to expect next, but he could feel Bokuto leaning in pressing their chests together, wrapping his big comforting arms around his body in a hug.

And Akaashi could feel his best friend’s heart beat.  
And it was pounding _fast_.

“Akaashi Keiji,” Bokuto whispered into his ear, “I love you too.”

Upon hearing those words, Akaashi hurriedly shifted out of the hug and crashed his lips into Bokuto's. Bokuto reciprocated.

And it was nothing compared to any scenario ever created. Not in time nor location nor in the sheer mix of happiness and desperation he felt.  
It was so much better. Despite the rushed beginning, it was slow, and passionate. Akaashi dropping his keys to bring his fingers up to the taller boy’s hair, trying to get as close as possible to him.

When they finally parted for breath, Bokuto picked up Akaashi effortlessly, to bring him to the same side of the gate he was on, setting him down gently, pressing his forehead against the younger boy's.

This pause felt nice, relaxing. The colder night air that had dried his tears earlier now felt warm, bringing comfort in a different way.

“So...you want to be more than friends?” Bokuto finally asked excitedly, breaking the silence. 

Akaashi couldn’t help but chuckle, the question finally having finally been asked “If that kiss meant anything, Bokuto-san.”

“HEY HEY HEY!” he exclaimed, raising both arms in the air in victory.

Akaashi laughed whole-heartedly this time. There was the loud, energetic side that was so characteristically Bokuto. He reprimanded him to quiet down as to not bother the neighbors, but he didn’t really mean it, way too happy to care who saw or heard.

“Come on, you should come inside,” Akaashi stated.

“Yeah!” Bokuto replied.

When you have been in love with your best friend for so long and they love you back, the least you can do is offer them a warm cup of tea.

As Akaashi retrieved his keys, and unlocked the door directing Bokuto in, so many questions and concerns popped into his head. How will his parents react to him bringing a visitor in this late? How will the team react tomorrow? What about the future? Bokuto-san was leaving soon and-

He decided to stop thinking for now.

Akaashi decided he would take this one step at a time. Though he couldn't stop the turning gears of his anxiety brain, he could try.

Akaashi Keiji decided he was going to take this relationship with Bokutou Koutaro

  
 _Slow_.

**Author's Note:**

> Something I wrote for BokuAka week! I'm not sure if the characters seem a little OOC or not, but enjoy anyways!


End file.
